Electrotherapeutic apparatus



Aug. 25,1925, 1,551,229 R. ARAYA ELECTROTHERAPEUTI C APPARATUS Filed March 5 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n E .4? w

8 JP? aye/1Z3.- R A. r'a a a ecea-sad Patented Aug. 25, 1925. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIflE.

RAMON ARAYA, DECEASED, LATE OF SANTIAGO, CHILE; BY RAT/[6N FRANCISCO ARAYA, NOVOA, LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRO'II-IER IAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

Application filed March 3, 1923.

To all whom itonag concern:

Be it known that RAMON ARAYA, deceased, late a citizen of the Chilean Republic, residing at Calle de la Catedral No. 1867, Santiago, Chile, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Electrotherapeutic Aparatus, and I, RAMoN FnANorsoo AnAYA, i ovox, executor, a citizen of the Chilean Republic, residing at 56 Victoria Street, London, S. VV."1, England,'do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionofthe invention, such as will enableothers skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use.

This invention relates to electrotherapeutic apparatus for the cure ofmental and nervous diseases. Such diseases are usually the result of an interruption inthe nerve system or circulation, which like the circulation of the blood, is commonto all human or animal beings.

In the practice of electric medical treat ment as hitherto adopted, the current is applied in such a way as to produce only local exciting effects, which do not follow the direction of the nerve circulation, and therefore the treatment is sometimes not so successful as it should be. For example, in the case of neuralgia in the face, one current' terminal plate is placed in contact with one side of the face, and the other current terminal is applied to the middle of the spine. Thus the current is forced, in order to complete an electrical circuit to pass through a considerable part of the body,

In other cases where a plurality of electrodes are arranged ona common insulated support, the effect of such is to produce merely a local exciting action on the patient, and the current being'diffused outward in all directions.

I have discovered, however, that a great improvement is obtained by a re-arrangement or reconstruction of the terminal plates or members, such that the said plates or members are brought close together and applied as a self contained unit to the principal nerve ganglion of the body (that 1s the basal ganglion) or any of the minoror pseudo ganglions, whereby the electrlcal 1nfluence is strongly and directly concentrated on the principal or the subordinate nerve centres. By this means, instead of exciting the patient, a state of sleep or anaesthesia is produced, and the effect of the electrical im- Serial No. 622,686.

danger of any kind, and curing the disease by re-establishingthe normal circulation of the nervous fluid. The patient, immediately the electroanaesthesia reaches the brain, feels relieved.

To this end, the invention consists in an eleotro-therapeutic apparatus comprising a series of electrodes applicable to the patients skin and forming the corners of a rectangle (or polygon) intended to receive within its area a nerve centre or ganglion, and in wlnch the electrodes are so connected to the sourceof induced current, that when w the electrodes are applled to theskin parallel and cross diagonal electric currents are obtained along which current impulses pass all in the same direction, whereby mutual attraction is set up within the space to obtain an intense concentration or current upon the enclosed nerve centre or ganglion. The electrodes can be so arranged that they are fixed or movable in a self contained appliance by any suitable mechanism.

The invention will now be described with Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved electrical appliance, Figure 2 is a diagram showing the electrical circuits,

Figure 3 illustrates the application of the device to the neck of a patient,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the appliance showing the direction of the currents when applied to the skin.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of the appliance which is adjustable to various sizes and showing scales of measurements,

Figures 7 and 8 are details hereinafter referred to. v i

In carrying the invention into effect according to one embodiment, Figures 1 to l, and in which two pairs of buttons are used, the device consists of an insulating plate or support a mounted on or passing through which are four stems b, b and 0, c of con-v ductive material such as copper, Each stem at one end carries a foot or button (Z, whilst its other end is fitted withany usual form of binding screw, shown in Figures 5 and 6, so that an electrical lead may be clamped thereto. Each button and stem forms an electrode and two of the stems b, b are connected by branch leads 6, e, to one terminal 7 and the other two 0, 0' by branch leads g, g to the other terminal h of the secondary 'winding of an induction coil n of suitable form such as'a Ruhmkorii' coil and controlledbya make and break magnet w; the armature m is carried on a spring tongue y that is normally drawn back by a spring 2. The primary winding Z of the coil is Xcited by a dry or other battery m in the usual The electrode buttons (Z are arranged so that they form together the corners of a rectangle, which when applied to the back of the'patients neck (Figure 3) not only will the circuit be completed, but the principal nerve ganglion, illustrated'at 0, will be enclosed within the rectangle.

'Allotthe'four electrodes being in contact with the skin, electrical current paths will be'establishedbetween'the pair of positive electrodes and the corresponding pair of negative electrodes during any one phase of the alternating induced current. Thus betweeneach positiveelectrode and'each corresponding negative electrode an electric "ourrent p'ath is extended'indicated diagrammatically by the lines 39 These current paths, which are substantially parallel, both moving in" the same direction are mutually attractiveand produce 'an'electrical influence "within the rectangle formed by the four electrodes. In addition to these, other current paths indicated diagrammatically at p are 'formed which extend diagonally from one positive electrode across to the negative of the other positive electrode, such diagonals intersecting one another at the centre of the rectangle. These impulses move in the same general direction asjthose of the parallel lines with the result that there is produced within the rectangle an intense concentration which acts upon the nervousfibre'of the enclosed nerve ganglion.

It is to'be understood that the force of the current applied will depend upon the particular disease, the stage or progress of the cure and local conditions, and that state of sleep oranaesthesia need not necessarily be produced inall' cases. Good results accompanied by anaesthesia have been produced in 'a case of epilepsy with a frequency of about 3,000 impulses per second, the intensity of the current being gradually lessened'as the cure progressed, the treatment being ap- -plied for about thirty seconds per day.

The force of the current may be cons sethat when theeurrent isapplied, the ph trolled infa-ny usual wa For example as shown in Figure7 the position of an iron bar a forming the core o'of the induction coil 70, Zmaybe adjusted according to the gradu- "ation marks shown. Although not usually necessary the frequency may be also varied if desired and a means for doing this is shown in Figure 8. The spring tongue y of the armature a" is adapted to have a variable amplitude of oscillation depending upon the position of a fixing screw 10 and which may be adjusted to any position in the slot 11.

After a short application of the appliance to the principal junction of the nerve cir-' cul'ation the stimulating. effect follows the direction of, and spreads over the entire nerve system, and tends to remove that which is interrupting. or interfering with the nerve circulation. A state of sleep or anzesthesia is at the same time induced in the patient to furtheripromote a cure, which in most cases will be progressive with periodic application of the appliance; H

Itis to-be'understood that the current applying member maytake any suitable form so long as'the electrode buttons form an open frame adapted to enclose,'and concentrate the efiect of the current upon, the part which is under treatment.

Any number-gotelectrode pairs may be employed; if desired the carrier may be formed of slotted frames or holders 1' and s as shown inFigures 5and 6, or any other suitable arrangement, so that the rectangle or other shape in whichthey are disposed may be varied in size. Such slotted frames may beprovided with a scale or scales to assist adjustment of the .parts,-,see Figure 5. Also as shown in Figure 1, a single pair of electrodes may 'o'nlybe used, the switches t or other "suitable devices beingprovided for this purpose.

In some ca maybe treated in addition to the main ganglion. A

From the foregoing itfwill be understood that I' have produced an electro-therapeutic device by which an intensive concentration and strong electrical influence may be applied directly to the nerve ganglions, with a result that the'electrical pulsations will occur along lines parallel'to the'natural direction ofthe nerve circulation system'a n'd will produce an anaesthetic effect which is of great benefit in cases of mental and nervous Itis characteristic of the device nomena of the "disease are temporarily'reproduced, this reproduction becoming'less and less marked as the cureprogresses.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and'desi're to secureby Let ters Patent is i v 1. An electro-therapeutic device comprisses theiminornerve ganglions ing in combination, a plurality of positive and negative electrodes arranged in mutual parallel relation and Spaced apart so as to form the corners of a rectangle (or polygon) intended to receive within its area a nerve centre or ganglion, a source of pulsating induced current including a primary and a .secondary Winding, an electric lead from one end of the secondary winding, branches therefrom to each positive electrode, and an electric lead from the other end of the secondary winding, branches therefrom to each negative electrode, whereby when all of the electrodes are applied to the patients skin, parallel and cross diagonal electric current paths are obtained at each current phase from the positive to the negative electrodes along which current im ulses pass all in the same direction, so that t v e mutual attraction is set up within the space to obtain an intense concentration of current upon the onclosed. nerve centre or ganglion.

2. The combination with an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, of an insulated base for supporting the electrodes comprising a series of slotted open interengaging frame menibers with dimensions marked thereon, whereby the electrodes may be spaced apart at variable distances.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

RAMoN FRANCISCO ARAYA, NOVOA, Emcee-tor of Ramon Amyu, deceased. 

